Join us for Perfect Family: Smile for the Camera, a devised forum play that explores gender through the lens of young New Yorkers, including issues like gender-based workplace discrimination, gender stereotyping, and familial discord. How does gender discrimination show up at home, at work, and at school? And what happens when we push back on gender conventions and challenge our social conditioning? This show was created by young people at the Red Hook Community Justice Center.

As part of this performance, audience members will be invited to step into the play and improvise alternative responses to the systems of oppression depicted in what is called an "intervention," creatively brainstorming systemic change together.

Note about tickets: While Theatre of the Oppressed NYC is offering Choose-What-You-Pay tickets to this performance, we invite you to make a donation after RSVPing if you are able. All donations support our work, paying for rehearsal and performance spaces, transportation, actor and Joker salaries, props and costumes, and so much more. You can make a contribution here.

The cost of running a single Forum Theatre Troupe is $36,000 per cycle! This means that if we sold 100 forum performance tickets at $360 each, we could fund the full cycle of a single Troupe — and that’s before factoring in the costs that support our administrative staff, office space, and more. TONYC runs 12 play-building cycles annually, which are funded primarily through grants, allowing us to keep tickets free while paying actors and Jokers, covering transportation costs, buying props and costumes, and doing everything else that makes our shows happen!

Historically, TONYC has been primarily supported through grants. In the past four years, operational expenses have drastically increased, but our funding has not. While TONYC has an abundance of community enthusiasm for our work, we still need $400,000 of funding in 2024. A donation of any amount will support our organization through a shifting funding landscape.

COVID policy: In order to keep our actors and staff safe, we ask that attendees please wear masks at all times inside the venue, unless they have received a negative COVID test result within the last 24 hours. We also encourage attendees to maintain six feet of social distance when possible.

Photo/video disclaimer: Theatre of the Oppressed NYC reserves the right to use any photos and/or videos taken at this event. TONYC also reserves the right to use any photos and/or videos without the written permission of those included within the image or recording. Photos and videos may be media-produced, used, or contracted by TONYC. This includes but is not limited to websites, social media, blogs, presentations, and other TONYC materials. Any person attending who does not wish to have their image recorded for distribution should make their wishes known by emailing [email protected] or contacting Max, TONYC's Director of Communications, at [email protected].